Context: Few days after D-day operations, we are located on the West side of Caen. In the area of N13 road and Paris – Cherbourg railway line, Canadians and Germans are facing each other On June 08th 1944 in Bretteville-l'orgueilleuse, 25 tanks of the SS Hitlerjugend armoured division lead by Kurt Meyer are heavily facing to anti-tank guns of the Regina Rifle battalion. Each assault is fathering a counter-attack... German must draw back. In Rots village, British commando from the 46° Royal Marines are fighting hand to hand with SS of the 1st company of the 26th Hitler youth regiment. Meantime Fort Garry Horse tanks are engaged in several closes combats against German's Panthers across confined streets of the village. On June 12th German SS had no other option than desert from Rots. German grenadier left 122 casualties at this location.

Places:

Pictures here under are showing German and Canadian MG positions on the 09th June 1944. Theses spots are about 100 meter away from the West side of Riots village. First picture is showing SS position (the place of Otto Funk). Second picture is showing the Canadian MG location. Each pictures are using a small cross to point out enemy machine gun position.

picture 1

picture 2

On June 09th 1944 mid afternoon, Otto Funk & Klaus Schuh (2 soldiers of the 1st Grenadier company from the 26th Hitler youth regiment) are posted on the road RN13 between Rots to Bretteville realized that an English tank is coming on their position. The only weapon available for them is the a machine gun MG42 and as far they could see, they are presuming that this tank is a Churchill model meaning one of the most heavily armoured tank of the enemy.

Young SS soldiers noticed that oil drums were stowed at the back of the Tank's turret. Knowing that Churchill tanks needs important fuel consumption they decided to open fire on theses drums... hoping that drums were holding fuel inside. When fire is opened the tank is at a 50 meters distance from their position. Due to flame spread over, result is an immediate immobilization of the tank. Two crew members of the armoured vehicle managed to disembark from the blazing tank but are instantaneously stopped by MG42 heavy fire. One of them died suddenly, the second one disappeared just before that ammo's tank start to crack. In front such a situation, German soldiers are exulting. Anyway this quick victory will only have a small impact on British and Canadian advance which are coming from « la vallée de la Mue ».

The Guys : On pictures taken by PK Woscildo on June 09th 1944 around 1430 Hrs, you will see Otto Funk who is coming back from his above mentionned MG position. Theses pictures will be used for the German SS propaganda as they will become cover page of their « Stuttgarter Illustrierte » and « Illustrierte Beobachter » magazines. Pictures will also circulate all over the world.

Same place in 2004:

When reporting, few minutes after taken O. Funk pictures, the PK moved forward in the narrow street, turned back and took this picture !

Klaus Schuch (Otto Funk partner) appears in foreground. In the background, gunner of the 326 is cleaning the blood of his chief ( Eismann ) who was crudely killed during Norrey en bessin combats. We have to realize that assault on such an open ground was a real madness !!! Due to the lack of combat field recon, Panther's advance covered by railway ended suddenly when rise of the ground gave a side view of tanks to Canadians artillery guns.

We can easily intercalate Heimdal map to an aerial view

The two pictures here under were probably taken on 09th June 1944 AM, prior Panzers assault on Norrey en Bessin : View in Bretteville / Norrey direction (West)

View in Caen direction (East)

You can recognized commercial vehicle parked in front of the narrow street where Otto Funk's picture (here above) was made. Theses pictures were made

just after Panzer assault. During the battle, grenadier were quickly distanced by Tanks and consequently they saw tank's crew coming back with serious burns and injuries. Because they were made few minutes after theses combats, theses pictures are striking !

Here under, after moving forward in the narrow street the PK took a new picture of a second combat units after assaults. Source : http://pochefalaise.forumpro.fr/t483-secteur-caen-ouest-12th-ss-canadiens-arots